


why don't you figure my heart out?

by b3lladonna



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Prince Eren Yeager, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:47:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29070522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/b3lladonna/pseuds/b3lladonna
Summary: "you seem to forget that you are simply a pampered little girl dressed in a princess' robes. we're as different as fire is from ice. i could never truly accept you, and therefore neither will my people.""and you seem to forget that the blood of eldia runs through my veins as well; your people are mine too, and they will accept me because i will prove my worth to them. and as for you, eren jaeger, consider that water will always be needed to put out the flames."
Relationships: Eren Yeager/Reader
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24





	1. important

just to sum up the back story a bit, here are some clarifications:

\- the reader is the daughter of willy tybur  
\- titans do not exist in this fic. marley and paradis have just been on bad terms for a long time due to tension and war. this is not because of any of the 9 titans.  
\- paradis has a monarchy; eren is the prince, and will soon be king.  
\- the reader, as a member of the most important family in marley, is betrothed to eren with the intention of ending the conflict between the two nations.  
\- the reader is NOT a royal by birth as marley does not have a royal family, but she is to be the queen of paradis if eren and her are wedded.  
\- pieck is the reader's court lady (a female personal assistant who attends on a high ranking noble-woman).  
\- eren doesn't have any living family in this fic (this'll be developed on later in the story) and zeke simply does not exist in this universe.


	2. Chapter 2

"my lady, we have arrived" pieck's soft voice dragged you out of your sleep as you rubbed your eyes, letting out a soft yawn. she helped you out of the carriage and your eyes fell upon the palace. tall gates, barred with spikes stood between you and the entrance. the windows hung quite high but you were unable to see anything inside the rooms. crystalline statues were placed around the garden and shades of magenta, turquoise and jade sprouted in the form of delicate flowers. the palace adorned a creamy colour and the roof was tiled with grey bricks. a shudder ran up your spine and you wrapped the petticoat around you tighter. enchanting yet eerily disturbing, the aura surrounding the massive structure unsettled you. it was as if a daunting secret was being presented under the guise of a golden-leaf wrapped present.

"lady y/n, i hope your journey was an easy one. it's an honour to welcome you to the heart of Paradis; the grand palace." a tall, lean woman smiled warmly at you; her glasses sat crookedly upon her aquline nose and her brown hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail.

"ah, yes, my journey was well, thank you" you responded curtly with a thin lipped smile.

"oh! pardon me, my name is hange; senior advisor to the prince. please follow me as ive been instructed to take you to your room immediately upon your arrival. i'm sure you're worn out from the long travel." the large, heavy gates opened and hange took off hurriedly, mumbling incoherently to herself as you rushed to catch up.

"my lady" pieck whispered anxiously next to you, "i understand that this isn't the most ideal situation for you, but i suggest that you appear amiable. your mother emphasised how important it was that you make a good impression on the prince."

you sighed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear, "don't worry, pieck, i understand the duty i have to my family. i won't let them down. however, i fear that regardless of how amiable i may appear, the prince will detect my true nature and see the hostility my heart holds." you fidgeted with your gloves and felt a sense of yearning to return to your home and jump into your mother's arms once again.

"maybe he'll be a rather handsome prince, then it'd be easier to appear completely in awe of him" pieck giggled quietly, attempting to lighten the mood, and you felt a smile crawl up to your face,

"oh i hope he is, maybe then he'd be too in love with himself to care about whether i am too" you laughed gently.

"my lady, we're here. you can take the next couple of hours to rest. the prince will be meeting with you in the evening. please don't hesitate to notify any of the butlers if you need anything" hange led you to the room and gave a bow before heading off in the opposite direction. when you were sure she was out of view, you burst into the room and collapsed on the large bed. pieck closed the door behind you and began to unpack your items.

"ugh, a couple of hours isn't enough, i wish i could have the whole week to myself" you groaned into the plush pillow.

"a princess doesn't get weeks off" pieck grinned as she hung up your dresses in the wardrobe.

"i'm not a princess" you retaliated.

"not yet" pieck teased, "it really can't be all that bad my lady; you were born as a high ranking noble, daughter to the most important man in Marley, what difference will a crown make?" 

"the difference is that i'll be betrothed. engaged. promised. wedded to a prince from a kingdom who up until recently, i was told was our sworn enemy. what good is it being a daughter of the tybur family if my only value lies in the fourth finger of my left hand?" you whined. pieck patted your back sympathetically and you felt yourself become drowsy, slipping out of consciousness as sleep consumed you.


	3. Chapter 3

"my lady, wake up, the prince wishes to meet you now" pieck lightly shook your shoulders and your eyes opened as you groggily sat up. pieck fumbled with your hair, combing and tying it back with a pink ribbon and she smoothed the creases in your dress.

"quickly my lady, the butler is waiting at the door to take you to meet the prince" she ushered you over to the door and you were greeted with an elderly man, patiently standing.

"aren't you coming with me?" you asked pieck im confusion.

"of course not! this is your first meeting with the prince, what business do i have staying with you? good luck, lady y/n. i'm certain he'll find you equally as charming as everyone else does" she beamed at you with a rosy blush tinting her cheeks. you gave her a small smile before taking the butlers gloved hand as he led you to the prince.

you kept you eyes trained on the ground and the thumping of your heart accelerated with each step you took. what if he doesn't like me? what if i have to return home, ashamed and rejected? i made a promise to my family. i can't bear to see the disappointed look in father's face if i fail to captivate the prince. but what if i don't like HIM? what if he's horribly ugly and a total creep? what if he dresses strangely? 

"my lady, he is waiting for you inside" the butler's words pulled you out of your worries and you looked up, coming face to face with a tall white door. with a large gulp, you turned the handle and entered.

leaning over a large, wooden desk, a towering figure took up an enormous amount of presence. he seemed to be glancing at a map of sorts and failed to notice your arrival. soft strands of brunette hair fell in front of his face; the rest was tied back in a loose bun and he was clothed in all black, odd attire for a prince. you coughed softly and the figure looked up. 

jade green eyes bore into yours and you felt the room spin around you. a sharp, grecian nose sat on top of smooth alabaster skin and his mouth formed a rosebud of carnation pink meeting at a prominent cupid's bow. the curve of his jawline resembled that of the sculpted statues of handsome soldiers that you'd see in museums back home. 

and it was those jade green eyes, glassy yet tinted; lively yet devoid of human excitement, that ignored you completely. after studying you for a brief moment, he peered back down at whatever was occupying his attention. 

you coughed again. he barely glanced your way. "excuse me?" you cringed at how feeble you sounded, like a little girl standing before a teacher who's about to reprimand her. 

"yes, i heard you the first two times." his voice was deep and his tone was laced with irritation. your eyes widened at his harsh words and your cheeks heated at the humiliation. 

"and you assumed it would be polite to ignore me the first two times?" you retaliated, anger evident in your question. 

he straightened his back and rose to his full height, towering over the desk. he stood still, observing you, before giving a shrill laugh. 

"polite? have i ever implied that i was polite? when did i ever made clear mention of it? i ignored you because — frankly — i don't care. the only reason i agreed to meet you was because hange forced me into it. so don't run your mouth with your indignant marleyan assumptions" he spat back. 

it took you a couple of seconds to process his words and when they finally sank in, venom rose to your throat,

"well, your highness, you've made it pretty clear that politeness and common courtesy are not in your nature. however, i'm honoured that you took the time, and it must've been such a hassle, to greet me with such...inspiring... words; i have high hopes for the people of this land being ruled by such a capable and well mannered prince such as yourself" you placed a hand over your heart, mocking sincerity. a grin fell onto your face as you noticed his brows furrow in anger. 

"know your place, marleyan. this is my land; my home. do not attempt to overstep me within my own gates," he strode over to you and his tall stature caused you to shrink against the door, not out of intimidation but rather wariness. 

"that's not how you should treat the future queen of YOUR land" you muttered lowly, refusing to cave in and break eye contact with the domineering male. his warm breaths brushed against your forehead and if it were in any other circumstance, the electric, beautifying intensity of his eyes would cause your knees to buckle. 

"you are far from being princess of this land, let alone queen! there is nothing you can offer my people. there's no passion in your face, no fire in your eyes and no ardor in your words," his cruel words turned his gaze turned deadly, "if it weren't for the sake of my people, i'd throw you out without hesitation and refuse to even invite the notion of marrying you." 

"well, that makes two of us" you swallowed and with a harsh push to his chest, he stumbled back as you fumbled with the door handle and ran out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eren ur so rude 🙄


	4. Chapter 4

"stupid little prince" you grumbled, slamming your bedroom door shut and startling pieck.

"oh no...it didn't go well?" she asked with a frown.

"no, not in the slightest. i fear he'll send me back home and call off the proposal." you plopped onto the soft bed with a heavy sigh, rubbing your temples anxiously.

"perhaps you can apologise, tell him it was a misunderstanding" pieck offered, sitting down next to you.

"i'm not apologising! that insufferable prince insulted me, why should i discard my dignity simply to satisfy him?" you grew frustrated, the day's events laying heavy on your mind.

"i know, but your father will be rather disappointed if the engagement is called off. marley has never been this close to reconciling with paradis, the people are counting on you."

you groaned into the sheets and felt a sense of guilt overwhelm you; you should've bit your tongue. if the prince actually calls off the engagement, the hostility between the two nations would never end.

"don't worry, my lady. i think it'd be foolish of him to decide your character based on one meeting with you; you just have to show him why you're worth a whole peace treaty" pieck's laughter filled the air and you smiled into the sheets.

"was he handsome?" she whispered into your ear.

you playfully threw a pillow at her head, giggling.

"i'm serious! was he?" she persisted.

"not even. it doesn't matter how strong a man's jaw is, or how tall he stands, it's his behaviour that defines his beauty. and the prince was the ugliest of them all" you remarked, scowling.

"i'll have to make a judgement myself then" pieck replied.

*knock*

pieck opened the door and the butler from before stood in front of it, "the lady has been called down for dinner with the prince and other members of the palace."

"can pieck come too?" you asked hopefully. pieck glared at you, vigorously shaking her head.

"ah, yes, that should be fine" he replied much to your delight.

you smiled brightly and grabbed her hand, following the butler down to the dining hall.

the large, extensively decorated room was covered in portraits and lights; an opulent chandelier hung from the ceiling and a crystal statue of two cherubs embracing was placed near the mantelpiece. the peach colour of the walls matched the drapes and at the center, a long mahogany dining table was present. three people were already seated. 

at the head of the table was the prince. his eyebrows were furrowed and he appeared much older than he probably was. you noticed the bags under his eyes and his posture was slightly slackened. to his right sat hange, the woman from before, and to his left sat a raven haired man with sharp grey eyes and thin lips. 

"your highness" pieck bowed and you followed suit. you sat down opposite the prince with pieck quickly taking the seat on your left. 

"y/n! how are you feeling?" hange asked enthusiastically. 

"very well, thank you" you answered politely, determined to get on someone's good side at least. 

"how do you feel about the palace?" she leaned forward eagerly. 

"it's...big" you laughed nervously, unsure of what exactly to say. 

"hey, hange, quit it. you're scaring her" the other male mumbled, his voice surprisingly deep and authoritative. 

you blushed and immediately shook your head, "no it's fine, i dont mind." 

"you don't have to act nice, it only encourages her" he responded. 

"oh levi, ever the charming soul" hange retaliated, grinning. 

you felt sort of uncomfortable in the unfamiliar setting, not knowing what to talk about as the prince had yet to say a word. 

as if he could read your mind, the prince cleared his throat and sat up straighter in his chair, 

"this is levi, captain of the Palace Guard. he's in charge of ensuring the safety of the palace and, well, me" he informed you and you noticed that his tone was tired, as if he couldn't care less about this dinner. 

"tsk, eren, don't say it like i'm your babysitter" levi grumbled and your eyes widened at his use of the prince's name. you weren't aware that the formal titles weren't adopted by everyone. 

eren. 

you briefly wondered if it'd be appropriate for you to call him that and then mentally scolded yourself for even suggesting such an absurd idea. a heavy silence coated the room and you saw pieck fidget in her seat, probably feeling as uneasy as you did. thankfully, the food was brought in and placed in front of you. the aroma travelled into your nose and you internally moaned at the delectable scent. just as you were about to dive in, the sound of a chair moving against cold marble floor interrupted you. 

the prince stood up, brushing a hand through his long hair in the process. 

"i'm heading up."

"wait, eren, aren't you going to eat with the rest of us?" hange asked worriedly. 

"no, i'm tired and this is boring anyways" he replied nonchalantly. 

"eren" levi warned, glaring daggers at him. 

the prince ignored him and took long strides, heading out of the dining hall. you scowled, appalled by his rudeness and gave pieck an 'i-told-you-so" look. 

suddenly, the sound of hands banging against a table caused you to startle in your chair and you looked up to see levi standing over the table, a furious expression adorning his face. he removed the napkin from his chest and exited the room, presumably following the prince. 

hange sighed and muttered something inaudible under her breath and glanced up at you, "i apologise. i'll have a word with the both of them later, please finish your food in the meanwhile." 

your anger soon dissipated as hunger overtook it and you picked up your fork and knife, digging into the food. 

you chewed on the meat and stared at the chair where the prince was previously seated and an abrupt, cold wind sent shivers down your spine. 

well, eren, looks like we won't be getting along anytime soon after all.


	5. Chapter 5

"well...that was fun" pieck said and sighed in disappointment.

she helped you get out of the extravagant gown and slip you into a silk nightdress. you groaned and clutched your stomach; the consequences of your foolish gluttony.

"on the other hand, the food was quite good. i might have to pay a visit to the chefs they have here" pieck praised and you hummed in agreement.

"a bit too good. a shame someone didn't stay to taste it tonight" you replied scornfully.

"there's something peculiar about that prince" pieck mumbled, her tone shifting to one of wariness as she nibbled on the skin surrounding her nails, pondering over his absurd behaviour.

"asides from the fact that there's not a single kind bone in his body?" you laughed sarcastically.

"no, it's not about the way he acts — although it's not very pleasant, i'll admit — but he has these eyes...they make you want to run and cower in fear."

"fear? more like he gives off the impression of a stubborn little boy" you responded, confused at her deduction; there was an intensity behind his gaze, you'd seen it up close, but it didn't necessarily make you cower in fear.

"hmm, i'm probably just being too nosy.  
anyways, the other two at the table seemed alright, they didn't seem to tolerate his behaviour either" pieck swiftly changed the topic.

"i suppose so...they seem close; neither of them used titles with the prince, perhaps they've known him for quite a while" you contemplated.

pieck yawned, "well, my lady, i think that marks the end of your first day in paradis, i'll make my way to my own room. goodnight" she gave you a warm smile and exited your bedroom, softly closing the door behind her.

you sighed and climbed onto your own bed, sinking beneath the duvet and sighing in satisfaction as the feeling of the clean, cold sheets against your exhausted body. after mentally going over today's tumultuous events, you let sleep overtake you.

—

the warm beams of sunlight rested against the walls of your room as you sleepily sat up in bed, rubbing your eyes.

"goooood morning, y/n" a loud voice burst into your room and your hazy gaze focused on the figure: hange.

"huh- oh, good morning." you yawned and stretched, getting out of your bed.

"second day at the palace! i thought i'd wake you up so you could look around a bit— OH! you can talk a stroll in the gardens! everyone always adores the gardens" she chattered excitedly.

"um- sure... i think i should brush my teeth first" you muttered awkwardly, standing in the middle of your room.

"oh, haha, of course" she chuckled and left you to get dressed.

after completing your morning routine, you went down to the dining room. you noticed that pieck was already there, laughing with one of the chefs serving breakfast.

you quietly sat down and a plate of toast and scrambled eggs was placed in front of you.

"y/n, good morning" pieck greeted.

"morning." you offered her a smile and dug into your breakfast. you observed that she wasn't eating with you, "why aren't you having breakfast?" you asked.

"oh, i already ate, sasha here was just telling me the recipe for the raspberry tarts she made last night" she motioned to the brunette chef.

you greeted her then continued to finish your breakfast. a couple minutes later, you saw the man from before, levi, enter with a teacup held in his hand. he had a scowl on his face and mumbled something to one of the butlers. you kept your eyes trained on him and he turned to meet your gaze.

"good morning" you said and bowed your head slightly. he nodded in response before walking back out.

"hange told me you're going to look around the palace gardens today" pieck said.

"yes, she said i ought to. in fact, i should probably get going now when it's still sunny out" you replied and got up. a butler quickly bowed and motioned you to follow him.

leading you out of the entrance to the palace, he delivered you to the backside: a magnificent path of green, magenta, violet and several other beautifully coloured flowers and plants. the garden was well kept; tall sunflowers smiled at you, fresh orchids hugged each other and peach coloured roses basked in the naked sunlight. the garden was filled with light and the scent of earth mixed with wet rain; it felt like a sanctuary and you heard the chirping of birds as they sat amongst the trees. you understood why hange mentioned how everyone seemed enchanted by it. as you walked on the pebbled path in between flower beds, you bent down in front of a pile of gorgeous tulips and smiled to your self. you picked one out and brought it to your nose, delighting in the sweet smell of the flower.

"are you sure you're allowed to pluck them?" a deep voice startled you and your eyes widened as you attempted to locate the source. a tall man walked out from behind a close greenhouse; he was dressed in what seemed to be uniform and a crest was stitched on the jacket. his tawny hair came below his ears and he had a bit of scruff on his chin. his face, although long, held his handsome features together well and his eyes had a glint of amusement in them.

"are you sure you're allowed to startle foreign guests like that?" you responded.

"ah, the prince's fiancé" he said in realisation and came forward, standing before you.

"you are?" you quizzed.

"jean kirstein, palace guard" he replied and gave you a lopsided grin.

"and do the palace guards usually hide in unnoticeable places, spying on young women" you teased.

"only if they're stealing flowers from the grounds; thievery is quite immoral" he retaliated playfully.

you laughed and he smiled widely, showcasing his bright, perfectly even teeth.

he walked forward and you tagged along beside him, glancing at the plants every now and then.

"so, how does the future queen like her castle?"

you rolled your eyes at jean's question, "i wouldnt count on me being queen any time soon if i were you" you muttered.

"oh?" jean prodded, "why? is paradis not suiting you?" 

"no- i mean yes- the palace, the people, the country is alright — but i don't think it's ruler isn't very fond of me" you complained wistfully.

"you mean eren? well, the prince doesn't exactly do 'fond' — that's why he's not fit to be king yet" jean mentioned and your eyebrows furrowed.

"what do you mean? the prince is to be crowned king in a matter of months."

"yes. but he should've been crowned a while ago. the prince is the only living heir to the throne, the previous king and queen passed a while back, leaving the nation in eren's hands" jean replied.

"then why isn't he king yet?"

"the prince hasn't exactly won the hearts of many. he's distant, callous and reckless, rarely doing much to appeal to his people; they couldn't accept a king like that. everyone's hoping that with a possible alliance with marley on the line, the people will regain faith in him and he'll shape up soon enough." jean's deep voice sent chills up your spine and you realised your role was far more important than you thought. not only were your own people depending on you, the people of paradis also held hope for this engagement.

"i wouldn't worry though — i think the prince will grow fond of you if you try hard enough" jean reassured you upon noticing your silence.

"i guess that's the only option left" you shrugged.

"well, if it gets too stressful, you're always free to come here and steal more flowers — although i might start recording you for evidence; not sure the people would want such an immoral woman as their queen" jean said in mock seriousness and you gave a hearty laugh which he returned. he gave you a polite bow and walked away in the opposite direction, you sighed as you watched his tall figure disappear. at least you had one decent person you could have a proper conversation with.

tucking the tulip in the hem of your dress, you walked back into the palace with a slight skip in your step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i promise this isn't a jean x reader fic lmfao he's just <3
> 
> (also, for reference, tulips represent passionate, undying love, hope, and royalty... lol what a coincidence 🙄)


	6. Chapter 6

"WHAT?" you incredulously asked hange. 

"a ball!" she repeated, with fervent excitement glistening in her brown eyes. after your morning stroll in the garden, the least of your expectations was to be bombarded with the information that there was a ball to be held at the palace next week. 

"but- i just arrived here" you protested. 

"ah, that's why; a selection of civilians will be invited so, naturally, you'll be able to display your charm and prove how wonderful of a queen you'll make."

you groaned at her giddy response and sat down on the chair next to pieck. 

"and think of how lovely it'll be to dance with the prince! a romantic ball depicting our two future leaders, young and in love" hange cooed at the thought and your head shot up in disbelief,

"THE PRINCE? THE PRINCE WILL BE THERE?"

"of course, it is his palace after all. our goal is for the people of paradis to feel secure in the future of this nation; they want to see two capable leaders completely in love with each other. what other excellent way to restore faith in our prince than portraying him as the once distant, reserved and cold young man whose heart softens at the sight of his future bride?" hange dreamily stared off into the distance, clearly pleased with the notion.

"but- he- we- i've barely spoken to the guy! "in love"? this is an arranged engagement! how am i supposed to convince everyone that i can barely stand to stay in the same room as him, let alone _love_ him? and why on earth would i dance with him? i don't even know how to dance!" you huffed indignantly.

"and that's why we've arranged for the two of you to have dance lessons! dont you fret, in a week's time, you'll be spinning circles around the ballroom" hange replied with a grin, ignoring the rest of your concerns, and skipped out of the room. 

you groaned and banged your head against the table repeatedly, utterly wishing to dissolve into dust. 

"i think a ball is a spectacular idea. you get to prove yourself to the people, make your parents proud by winning over their hearts. and a dance could be the perfect chance to bond with the prince" pieck softly stated. you gave her a stern look and she raised her hands up in surrender before walking out too. 

"my lady, your dance lesson is to begin soon. please follow me" a short butler appeared in front of you and with a sigh, you followed him up the flight of stairs as he opened the doors to a large, sunny room. the floor was wooden and tall mirrors surrounded you. clearly, it was a practice room...one that hadn't been occupied in a while.

you paced the room, swiping a finger across the dust collecting in certain corners. huffing, you take a look at the clock.

"ah, of course, the prince must be far too busy to show up on time. it's not as if his entire reputation relies on this stupid ball. he seems to prefer being occupied by his own selfish and insufferable nature" you voiced out angrily, talking to yourself out of boredom. 

"think i'd much rather be surrounded by your insufferable nature, you reckon?" a deep voice halted your pacing and your head snapped to look at the person entering the room. 

he wore a loose black dress shirt with sleeves rolled up and formal trousers. his long hair tied back tightly and, to your surprise, his face looked fresher — younger almost. 

you opened your mouth to retaliate when a woman breezed into the room, her shoes clicked against the floor. she looked much older than hange and levi; her hair was an elegant grey and she wore a form fitting black dress. 

"brilliant, the two of you are already here" she clasped her hands together and beamed at you. the prince slumped against one of the mirrors and looked disinterested. 

"now, i've heard that you're not familiar with ballroom dancing?" the lady approached you. 

"uh, not really" you replied apologetically. 

"that's fine! you're in good hands; in a couple of days, you'll seem like a natural" she stated confidently. she motioned at the prince to come forward and stand next to you, to which he begrudgingly complied. 

"eren, you take the lead" she commanded and he sighed before turning to face you, and with a sour smile, he offered you his hand. you looked up, perplexed. he rolled his eyes and placed your hand in his, bringing his other one to rest on your waist. 

"y/n, straighten your back and move your chest closer to the prince" the instructor told you. you sheepishly moved forward, avoiding eye contact with the prince. the soft lull of music filled the room and eren slowly started to move, guiding you across the room in slow steps. 

"eren, look into her eyes, you need to feel the passion of the dance" the lady's voice boomed over the sound of the music. you looked up into the prince's eyes and heat rose to your cheeks. your steps faltered, causing you to step on his shoe 

"shit!" he exclaimed before letting go of you. 

"sorry!" you apologised, more so to the instructor than to him. 

"you did that on purpose" he muttered. 

"why would i do it on purpose? if the intent was to maim you then i would have stomped on your foot with my heel, crushing it completely" you scoffed. 

"no bickering. come on, back in position" she commanded. 

you reluctantly placed your hand back in his as he once again took the lead. 

"you know, you're really bad at this" he whispered, eyebrows furrowed together. 

"i don’t dance. of course i'm bad" you replied curtly. 

"seems like you don't really bring much to the table." he smirked gleefully. 

"oh, and you're such a catch?" you mocked. 

"well, i can dance pretty well — which is something you unfortunately can't say" he pouted in fake sympathy. 

"surprisingly so. i didn't think you had much time to do anything — except play the brooding, tragic, young prince role of course. so, where'd you learn how to dance?" you asked him with genuine interest. 

you hadn't noticed the instructor circling the two of you closely until she gave a response on his behalf, 

"he takes after his mother. a natural. she was the best i'd ever seen. we used to dance together all the time when we were little girls" she reminisced fondly, smiling to herself. 

suddenly, the prince let go of your hand and moved back, his features darkened and a scowl appeared on his face. 

"this is stupid" he grumbled before exiting, slamming the door shut. 

the instructor looked appalled and anger bubbled in your stomach. you ran out of the room in a blind rage. the prince had barely made it past the hall when you shoved his back. he turned around, looking at you in utter shock. 

"what's wrong with you?" you yelled, seething with anger. 

"excu-" he started. 

" _NO_! don't you dare try to intimidate me. you want to act like an immature brat, refusing to greet me properly, storming off at dinner, having a go at me everytime you see me...fine. you can hate me all you want, but don't you dare make others responsible for your immaturity. we have a week to completely flip your wretched reputation around, and everyone here is doing their best to try and help you, the least you could do is cooperate. i don't know why you're angry, or upset, or annoyed, but i don't care; you're not a child, you don't have to get all moody and storm off whenever something inconveniences you. this isn't just about you! don't you feel a shred of responsibility? this is **your** country. you're supposed to be the king soon! it'd be in your best interest to get off your high horse and act like a decent person for just a couple of days." your cheeks were flushed and you took a deep breath. you stared directly into his eyes, challenging him. 

he gave you a cold look and said nothing.

"what? you want me to pack my bags? kick me out? send me back? do it. i don't care anymore" you broadened your shoulders and relished in this newfound confidence.

the prince's mouth twitched up and he began to chuckle, eyes crinkling in the act. you looked at him in astonishment, shocked at the response.

he turned around and began walking, chuckling to himself still.

"hello? where are you going?" you called after him.

he stopped in his tracks and peered back at you,

"i'll see you tomorrow. i suggest you practice your steps tonight, i hate slow learners" and with that he took off.

"wha- UGH! i hate him" you clutched your hair in frustration, already regretting your outburst.

_please let this week pass quickly_ , you silently prayed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they were fr having a moment during the dance...stupid instructor lady.


End file.
